Free UK delivery on all orders · At-home saliva test · Secure checkout
Free UK delivery on all orders

McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small): calories and sugar by portion, age and sex

Boone’s analysis puts McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) at 12% of an adult’s daily calories, 3% of the daily sodium limit for a child aged 4 to 8 and 11.5 teaspoons of added sugar.

How many calories are in a McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small)? It contains 250 calories, 6g of fat (0.5g saturated), 46g of added sugar and 45mg of sodium.

Build a full meal with our nutrition calculator

Use the Boone meal calculator to build a full meal rather than view this item on its own. Add fries, a drink, dips and a dessert, then choose your age and sex, and switch between US and UK guidance, for a more accurate view of how a Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) fits into a day.

‍

Nutrition information

Nutrition information: McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small)

Calories250
Total fat6g
of which saturated0.5g
Trans fat0g
Carbohydrate51g
Total sugars47g
Includes added sugars46g
Fibre0g
Protein0g
Sodium45mg

Nutrition figures are McDonald’s USA published data, per item as sold and before any optional sauces or extras. Boone converts them to the portion and age comparisons on this page.

McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) contains 250 calories, which is 12% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value used on US food labels. It provides 6g of total fat, of which 0.5g is saturated, 47g of total sugars (46g added), 45mg of sodium, 0g of protein and 0g of fibre.

The saturated fat content of 0.5g represents 2% of the 20g Daily Value.

McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) is assembled from 2 separately manufactured components, combined at the point of sale. The cold foam alone carries 8 different classes of additive. Across the whole item the ingredient list names corn syrups and invert sugar, emulsifiers, thickeners and gums, processed cellulose, flavourings, colours, preservatives, phosphates and raising agents, protein and dairy fractions, humectants and anti-foaming agents. None of these add nutritional value. They exist to make the item survive industrial production, storage and transport.

McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) is over the US per-meal added sugar limit

McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) contains 46g of added sugar, 4.6 times the 10g per-meal limit in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The same guidelines recommend no added sugar at all for children aged 10 and under.

FDA Daily Values (2,000-calorie diet)

Calories2,000
Total fat78g
Saturated fat20g
Carbohydrate275g
Added sugars50g
Fibre28g
Sodium2,300mg
Protein50g

Added sugar vs total sugar

Where the sugar comes from: McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small)

46g of the 47g counts as added sugar, or about 11.5 teaspoons. The other 1g is naturally occurring.

Added sugars come from

  • high fructose corn syrup in the Dr Pepper
  • cane sugar, corn syrup in the cold foam

Naturally occurring sugars come from

  • lactose in the cold foam

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030: no more than 10g of added sugar per meal from age 11 and none for children aged 10 and under. FDA Daily Value: 50g a day. Sources are read from the published ingredient list for each component.

Ultra-processed food: what is really in it

Processing and additives: McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small)

McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) is assembled from 2 separately manufactured components, combined and served at the point of sale. Reading the ingredient list closely, it contains corn syrups and invert sugar, emulsifiers, thickeners and gums, processed cellulose, flavourings, colours, preservatives, phosphates and raising agents, protein and dairy fractions, humectants and anti-foaming agents. These are not there to add nutritional value. They make industrial production and distribution possible.

Corn syrups and invert sugar

Sweeten and control texture more cheaply than sugar alone. Found in the Dr Pepper and cold foam.

Emulsifiers

Help oil-based and water-based ingredients blend and stay blended. Found in the cold foam.

Thickeners and gums

Thicken sauces, fillings and drinks and stop them separating. Found in the cold foam.

Processed cellulose

Plant fibre processed into a bulking, anti-caking or texturing agent. Found in the cold foam.

Flavourings

Add or restore taste lost during processing. Found in the Dr Pepper and cold foam.

Colours

Restore or standardise appearance after processing. Found in the Dr Pepper.

Preservatives

Slow the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds in centrally prepared components. Found in the Dr Pepper.

Phosphates and raising agents

Hold moisture in meat, control acidity or make batters and doughs rise. Found in the cold foam.

Protein and dairy fractions

Isolated proteins and dairy by-products used to add bulk, structure or a creamy texture. Found in the cold foam.

Humectants

Keep syrups and fillings moist and stop them drying out. Found in the cold foam.

Anti-foaming agents

Stop drinks foaming during dispensing. Found in the Dr Pepper.

Boone classifies McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) as NOVA group 4, ultra-processed, based on the additives named above. NOVA groups foods by how far they are from their whole-food form, not by how nutritious they are. A group 4 food is not automatically unhealthy, and a group 1 food is not automatically healthy. Read from the published ingredient list, September 2026.

McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) contains at least 24 distinct ingredients: 5 raw and 19 manufactured. Ordered as a full meal with a dip and a dessert that reaches 63, of which 37 are manufactured. Raw means something you could buy and cook with at home; manufactured means a substance that only exists as an output of industrial processing.

Ingredient count by order: McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small)

What you orderRawManufacturedTotal% manufactured
McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) on its own5192479%
McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) + medium fries8233174%
McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) + fries + a dip17274461%
McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) + fries + dip + a medium Coca-Cola17274461%
McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) + fries + dip + drink + an OREO McFlurry26376359%

The 19 manufactured ingredients

artificial flavor, caffeine, caramel color, carrageenan, cellulose gum, corn syrup, dimethylpolysiloxane, dipotassium phosphate, high fructose corn syrup, microcrystalline cellulose, mono and diglycerides, natural flavor, phosphoric acid, polysorbate 60, polysorbate 80, propylene glycol, sodium benzoate, sodium caseinate, sorbitan monostearate.

The 5 raw ingredients

cane sugar, canola oil, carbonated water, salt, water.

What those ingredients are, by type

Other additives and processing aids11
Sugars and syrups3
Water2
Flavourings and extracts2
Colours1
Acids and acidity regulators1
Oils and fats1
Meat, fish, dairy and eggs1
Fruit, vegetables and nuts1
Salt and minerals1

Boone counts every distinct named ingredient on McDonald’s published component lists, including sub-ingredients, and removes duplicates, so salt appearing in four components counts once. Additive class names are dropped and the named substance kept, so “leavening (baking soda)” counts baking soda once. Ice and water added at the counter are not counted. Raw covers whole foods and basic kitchen staples such as flour, sugar, salt and oil. Manufactured covers substances that only exist as an output of industrial processing. Every figure here is a minimum. The build uses a Sweet ’n Sour sauce.

Ingredients

McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) is assembled from 2 separately manufactured components.

Ingredients by component: McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small)

Dr Pepper

Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Caramel Color, Phosphoric Acid, Caffeine, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Natural And Artificial Flavors, Dimethylpolysiloxane.

Ice

Ice.

Cold foam

Water, Canola Oil, Cane Sugar, Corn Syrup, Contains 2% Or Less Of: Natural Flavors, Sodium Caseinate (a Milk Derivative), Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Carrageenan, Sorbitan Monostearate, Mono & Diglycerides, Salt, Dipotassium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Polysorbate 80, And Propylene Glycol. Propellants: Nitrous Oxide And Nitrogen.

Ingredients taken from the McDonald’s USA product pages, retrieved September 2026, with obvious spelling errors corrected. Recipes change - always check in restaurant before ordering if you have an allergy.

Allergens at a glance

McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) contains milk.

Allergen information: McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small)

AllergenStatus
MilkContains
EggsNot declared
FishNot declared
Crustacean shellfishNot declared
Tree nutsNot declared
PeanutsNot declared
WheatNot declared
SoybeansNot declared
SesameNot declared

Contains caffeine, but McDonald’s USA does not publish a figure. Contains = declared by McDonald’s USA. May contain = McDonald’s states the allergen may be present. McDonald’s prepares food in shared kitchens, so no item can be guaranteed allergen free. UK rules also require barley, oats, mustard, celery and sulphites to be declared; these are shown where the ingredient list names them. Retrieved September 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small)?+

Boone calculates that McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) contains 250 calories, which is 12% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value and 17% of the daily needs of a moderately active child aged 4 to 8.

How much added sugar is in a McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small)?+

Boone calculates that McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) contains 46g of added sugar, about 11.5 teaspoons, which is 92% of the 50g FDA Daily Value.

Is McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) within US sugar guidance for children?+

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 recommend no added sugar for children aged 10 and under and no more than 10g per meal from age 11. With 46g of added sugar, McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) is over both.

How much saturated fat is in a McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small)?+

McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) contains 0.5g of saturated fat. Boone calculates this as 2% of the 20g Daily Value and 3% of the 17g limit for a child aged 4 to 8.

How much sodium is in a McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small)?+

McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) contains 45mg of sodium. Boone calculates that as 3% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 8 and 2% of the 2,300mg adult limit.

Is McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) ultra-processed?+

Boone classifies McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) as NOVA group 4. Reading the published ingredient list, it is assembled from 2 separately manufactured components and contains corn syrups and invert sugar, emulsifiers, thickeners and gums, processed cellulose, flavourings, colours, preservatives, phosphates and raising agents, protein and dairy fractions, humectants and anti-foaming agents. NOVA group 4 describes how far a food is from its whole-food form, not how nutritious it is.

Is McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) suitable for children?+

Boone’s analysis flags that its 46g of added sugar is above the Dietary Guidelines advice of no added sugar for children aged 10 and under; it contains caffeine. That does not make it off limits, but it does mean a Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) uses up a large share of a young child’s day in one item.

Does McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small) contain caffeine?+

Yes. It is made with a caffeinated soft drink, but McDonald’s USA does not publish a caffeine figure for McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Small).